


Coming Out (of the Super Closet)

by swanqueenfic13



Series: Little Luthor [12]
Category: Supergirl (TV 2015)
Genre: (sort of?), Coming Out, F/F, Identity Reveal, Implied Sexual Content, References to Canon, Supergirl 2.0, Supergirl gets a more badass outfit, supergirl reveal
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-07-08
Updated: 2017-07-12
Packaged: 2018-11-29 15:23:21
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 14,283
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11443662
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/swanqueenfic13/pseuds/swanqueenfic13
Summary: The time has finally come. Kara thinks she's ready... ready to be a real superhero. Alex? Not so much.OR:Supergirl finally arrives in this AU one-shot.





	1. Being Super

**Author's Note:**

> So... this turned into a much longer story than I had originally intended so I split it into two chapters. Don't worry, part two won't take long since it's mostly done!

“Alex, please! I’m ready,” Kara insisted. She had been training with Alex ever since she decided she wanted to be a hero. Alex insisted on hand-to-hand combat training, self-defense training, agility, speed, strength, endurance, and situational training. But Kara was impatient to actually admit to the world that she was saving people. She was sick of listening to the media call the Blur a new Superman, or Batman. They always refer to the Blur as a ‘he’ and Kara can’t wait to let everyone know that this new superhero is a woman.

“You  _ might be _ ready. It’s easy enough in training. I’m not sure you’re ready for the field,” Alex said, giving Kara her patented ‘disappointed big sister’ look; her brows were raised and her lips were pursed and she looked thoroughly in charge and unimpressed.

“I’m already out in the field saving people!” Kara yelled, pacing.

“You stop purse snatchers, burglars and a few kidnappers. If you come out publically as a superhero, alien threats and anti-alien terrorists will come to try and take you down and they will fight  _ much _ harder than the simulators. Kara, you need to understand!” Alex lectured sternly, grabbing Kara’s elbow. Kara allows herself to be stopped, uncrosses her arms from her chest and turns to pout at Alex. “Don’t you pout at me. I just want you safe. Besides, are Lena and Winn even done with your costume?”

“Winn finished his part!” Kara whined. After Lena had helped create a stronger, tougher, stain-resistant fabric that could withstand almost as much as Kara could, Winn had turned it into a badass suit. With some suggestions from Lena, gone were the red skirts and tube tops. This was a suit worthy of a hero with Kara’s powers. Alas, Lena had a small addition she wanted to make. 

“Lena’s part is just as important. If you want to keep your secret identity a secret, you’ll let her do it. And no, the glasses and ponytail are not enough of a disguise,” Alex said, preventing Kara’s protest.

“They are for Clark,” Kara muttered darkly, now pouting like a child again.

“Stop being such a baby. Clark’s secret is not as safe as he assumes it is, but he’s also like, a plain looking white dude. Yeah, he’s attractive, but he’s not like super unique looking. And he’s not in the spotlight like you are. By dating Lena Luthor, you’re going to be in the spotlight now. And until Lena’s mask is ready, I’ve taken the suit from Winn. Do you wanna keep arguing or do you wanna run the simulation again?” Alex said, a note of finality in her voice.

“Run it again,” Kara sighed. Alex nodded once, first pulling Kara back to hug her.

“I just want you safe,” she whispered. Kara sank into her sister’s embrace, hugging her back.

“I know, I know. I’ll wait for Lena to finish. But for now… Run the simulator one more time and then we can go get dinner,” Kara sighed after a while. Alex nodded, pulling away to restart the simulator.

 

“Mommy, what’s that?” Lydia asked. Now that preschool had finished and Kara was spending more of her time in the DEO with Alex, (rather than hours on the weekend or after work or late at night), Lydia was spending more time in her mom’s new L-corp office in downtown National City. Lena had dedicated an entire section of her office to Lydia’s playthings: her toys, books, art supplies and even a pillow and blanket laid on the couch for when the little girl needed a nap. But Lydia had been watching her mommy try to fix some new thing on her desk for a long time now, so she had wandered over and was pulling on her pant leg. Lena grinned, putting her tools down and putting her microscopic glasses on top of her head.

“It’s a present for a friend. It’s going to be a little bit like a Halloween costume, and it’s going to make this person look different,” Lena explained, pulling Lydia onto her lap.

“Why?” Lydia asked.

“Because my friend works a very dangerous job, and this mask will make them a little bit safer. It can keep bad people from finding out who this person is and make sure the bad guys don’t try to hurt their family.”

“How?” Lena chuckled at her daughter’s sleepy questions, noting that it’s around the time Lydia usually napped at school.

“It’s got these little thingies that make it stick to the person’s face. And then there’s these teeny tiny little robots inside the mask that make the person’s eyes a different color and it makes their face a different shape and stuff. The robots are so tiny, though, that you can’t even see what you’re doing unless you wear these special glasses.” Lena let her daughter see the glasses that make her able to work on her girlfriend’s mask.

“Why?”

“Because the robots need to do jobs that are very, very small. They need to manipulate- er, that means change things around and switch things- very, very tiny parts of someone’s face. So they have to be just as small to get the job done.” Lena bounced Lydia on her knees like she used to do when Lydia was younger and came to work with her.

“No, Mommy,  _ why _ ,” Lydia repeated. “Why would the bad people hurt your friend?” Lydia turned her body so that she was more cuddled into her mom.

“Because my friend is working in a job kind of like the police, except also a little different. They’re fighting against really,  _ really _ bad people who want to hurt lots of innocent people. And if someone were to try and stop the bad people, they’d get really mad. So we have to protect my friend. Now, do you want to keep asking questions or do you want to go take a nap?”

“‘M not tired,” Lydia whined, rubbing at her eyes with her fists. But she curled more into Lena and stifled a yawn.

“I think you are a little bit tired,” Lena said gently. Lydia still had nightmares, but they weren’t as often. Sometimes, Lydia would fight sleep, but they had worked out a better sleep routine to help keep her calmer at night. And when she did wake up, she would either go wake one of her mothers, join them in their bed until she fell back asleep, or try to look at books or color quietly until she fell asleep. Lydia’s accidents only happened at night, never during daytime naps. It only happened when Lydia was so deeply asleep and her nightmares were so paralyzingly terrifying that her body couldn’t wake her up in time.

“Don’t wanna,” Lydia grumbled.

“Okay, my sweet girl. That’s okay. Do you want to sit with me while I keep working?” she offered. She was used to working around Lydia as the girl had been a clingy baby. None of Lena’s coworkers ever minded when she was at her own company. Many of them said they’d loved the image of their boss working next to them in the lab, bent over and fiddling with some mechanism with a baby sling on her chest. Every time she wore a helmet or gloves or goggles, she made sure to have a miniature set for her baby. The first Christmas after Lydia was born, Lena had been gifted several framed pictures of the two of them.

“Mhmm,” Lydia hummed softly. Lena rubbed her back gently, still bouncing on her knees softly in a consistent pattern. Lydia played with the collar of Lena’s blouse while Lena began to work. After a few minutes, she paused. 

“Mommy? Is your friend going to stop people like the bad man who tried to hurt us? Like that hero, the Blur?” Lydia asked, her voice small and still scared of that man, even when he’s in prison.

“That’s exactly what my friend is doing.” Lena smiled widely, wishing she could tell Lydia exactly how right she was. Lydia sighed, her body sagging in relief. Lena hugged her tight, swaying gently back and forth before she went back to work. When it seemed clear this was not putting Lydia to sleep, Lena spoke again.

“Lyd?” Her daughter hummed in acknowledgment. “Do you mind if I put on some music while I work? It helps Mommy concentrate.” While this was true, Lena liked to listen to old rock and roll songs while she worked. She had a feeling that wouldn’t help Lydia to relax or fall asleep, so she planned to listen to something different.

“Okay, Mommy,” Lydia said softly, nuzzling her nose into Lena’s shoulder. Lena rubbed circles into her back, kissing the crown of her head once until she leaned forward to get her phone and start the music. Lydia exhaled slowly when the soft, slow lullabies began to play.

“Good girl, thank you,” Lena whispered, kissing Lydia’s hand again. She hummed along with some of the familiar songs while she continues to work, feeling Lydia slowly slip into sleep. She smiled, resting her chin on top of her daughter’s head as she worked out some of the kinks with Kara’s new mask.

 

That evening after Lydia was put to bed, Lena brought the mask out for Kara to try on. 

“So, I altered the nanobots a little bit and now they can mask the scar in your eyebrow and instead  _ create one _ on your cheek. Now you won’t look so inhumanly perfect that you’re not real,” Lena teased, holding out the thin, silicone mask. “Try it out?” she offered.

“I still think it’s silly. What if I forget to put on the mask in an emergency?” Kara protested, taking the mask. Admittedly, it was lightweight and would fit the shape of her face nicely.

“If you can remember to put on that pesky bodysuit, you can remember to put on this mask. It takes only a few seconds. Microseconds for you, I’d bet,” Lena retorted. “And besides, I’ve worked hard on it. Can’t you at least try it on?” Kara rolled her eyes and stuck out her tongue.

“Fine. Just… don’t laugh,” Kara said, wrinkling her nose before pushing the mask onto her face. Lena watched, giddy, as the nanobots in her mask  _ finally _ worked properly. Kara’s face elongated, her chin became more square and her cheekbones higher and more prominent. The scar above her eyebrow disappeared and was replaced with a small line on her left cheek. Most startling was the shift of her blue eyes to a deeper brown; Lena maintained that Kara’s identifying features included both her scar and her eyes and was determined to make those more difficult to distinguish.

“Wow… You look… like a whole different person. It’s perfect!” Lena laughed, jumping up, glad she had finally made the nanobots behave the way she wanted them to. She goes to kiss Kara but pauses, nose wrinkled. “It feels weird… to kiss you when you don’t… look like you.”

“Thought you said I’m perfect now that I’m  _ different _ ,” Kara said petulantly. She stood, shifting around Lena to go look in a mirror. Her eyes widened and she leaned in closer, running her hands over her face. “This is so  _ weird _ .”

“Hey, I just meant the technology is working perfectly. I think you look perfect without it,” Lena said, coming up behind Kara. She wrapped her arms around Kara’s waist, resting her chin on her shoulder and looking at them both in the mirror. The girl in the mirror looked vaguely similar to Kara in the same way a cousin would resemble her. But Lena wouldn’t say they were the same person, not unless she already knew.

“I wish there was a way I could make it a part of the suit… Or even a part of  _ you _ . It would certainly make it easier and you wouldn’t ever have to worry about forgetting it,” Lena hummed thoughtfully.

“Well, you can always improve it. But this is good for now. Now I can stop hiding and really help people!” Kara said excitedly, pulling away from Lena.

“You have to model the entire costume for me,” Lena said.

“Alex is keeping it until you finished this,” Kara said with a pout.

“Tomorrow then. After Lydia goes to bed, you can do a little… fashion show for me?” Lena raised an eyebrow seductively. Kara blushed deeply but nodded.

“Please, not in front of the kid,” she whispered, glancing nervously towards Lydia’s room.

“She waking up?” Lena asked. Kara quickly peeled the mask off her face, grimacing when she had to use a little bit of force to make it unstick. “Sorry, wanted to make sure it would stay during a fight,” Lena added. “Is Lydia waking up?”

“No, but I think she’s having a bad dream. Her heart is beating faster. Wanna try and calm her down before she wakes up?” Kara asked. Lena nodded and went into her daughter’s bedroom. The little girl was kicking a little bit in her sleep, and her brow was furrowed, but other than that she gave no indication of her bad dreams.

“Poor little thing,” Lena whispered. She knelt next to the bed, running a hand through Lydia’s hair and tucking her stuffed toys in closer to Lydia. When this didn’t stop her twitching movements, Lena began to sing.  _ “Hush little baby don’t say a word. Mommy’s gonna buy you a mockingbird. And if that mockingbird don’t sing, Mommy’s gonna buy you a diamond ring and if that diamond ring don’t shine… Mommy’s gonna… _ ” Lena trailed off, humming the tune instead since she couldn’t remember all of the verses- and let’s be real, does anyone  _ actually _ know all of the words? She continued to hum as Lydia’s face smoothes out and she stops twitching. Lena watched as Lydia put her thumb in her mouth, hugging the stuffed animals closer and rubbing her face against the pillow.

“So cute,” Kara exhaled softly from the doorway. Lena turned, eyebrow raised.

“Me or her?” She turned to go stand with Kara, bumping shoulders with a small smile. Lena put her arm around Kara’s waist.

“Her,” Kara answered, teasing smile on her face. She started to lead Lena back out to the living room. Lena just stops to grab her laptop and the mask before leading Kara into their bedroom.

“I feel like I should be insulted,” Lena said after a moment, pulling away with a fake pout. She put the mask away properly and left her computer on the nightstand.

“Lydia is cute. You… are beautiful and hot and sexy and… yeah, I guess you’re pretty cute too,” Kara explained, causing Lena to blush.

“Stop with the cute flirting and come kiss me.” Lena rolled her eyes as she said in and Kara crossed the bedroom in the blink of an eye, startling Lena. And despite how quickly she moved, she was slow to kiss Lena, running her fingers through her knotted hair. She put a hand on her cheeks, pulling Lena closer and positioning her just the way she wanted her before she kissed her, sweetly and softly. Lena is the one to make it more, grabbing Kara by the hips and lunging backwards towards the bed, knowing that Kara will let her fall safely. Once they’re lying on the bed, kiss never broken, Lena rolls them over so that she is on top, and she’s sucking on Kara’s bottom lip, making her girlfriend moan beneath her.

“Fuck,” Kara groaned after a while. Lena pulled away just a bit, laughing breathlessly. She let her hair fall over them like a curtain, blocking everything out.

“Yes, that’s the general idea, love,” Lena teased. Kara rolled her eyes but kisses Lena again anyway, wiggling the woman out of her pants. She goes to work on getting out of her own when they hear the voice.

“Mommy?”

“I’ll get her. You put some pants on,” Kara chuckled. Lena huffed, running a hand through her hair and pulling some pajama shorts back on, splashing water on her face in an attempt to cool down.

“Bad dreams baby?” Lena asked when Kara appeared in the bedroom again, now holding a whining Lydia. She nodded.

“Lydia just wants you and me to help her relax before she goes back to bed. I said we could either read a book or color a picture. What do you think, babe?” 

“Let’s go pick out a story, hmm?” Lena smiled, following Kara and Lydia back into her bedroom, ready to put their daughter back to bed.

 

Kara ended up doing their fashion show three days later on a Thursday evening in the middle of the DEO. They’d gotten Lucy to babysit Lydia at her own apartment so that Lena could join Kara at the DEO to test out her uniform and inspect the nanotechnology in the mask during the simulations. Since Lena had wanted to see the costume as well and insisted on monitoring her own device in the mask, she maneuvered her way into the classified building.

“Oh, Agent J'onzz, I wasn’t aware you were collaborating with the DEO on this,” Lena said when she first walked in, facing the agent who had questioned her after her brother had tried to escape from jail a few months ago.

“Actually, it’s Director J'onzz of the Department of Extranormal Operations. I apologize for the falsehoods, but I had to maintain my cover at the time,” he explained, holding out his hand. Lena shook it, smiling tightly.

“Right… You work with aliens and needed to know if I was in cahoots with the two biggest anti-alien Crusaders in the world and was helping them commit their dastardly deeds. I’m a Luthor, I understand,” Lena said. 

“Miss Luthor, it was merely a formality,” he said firmly.

“Mhmm,” Lena hummed, not quite believing him. Kara, meanwhile, was in another room with Alex, getting her suit on and preparing for the simulation tests. “And I suppose you forbid Winn from telling me for the same formality reasons. Even though we’ve become good friends and see each other on a regular basis.” Winn looked up sheepishly from his computer.

“Lena, our organization… It’s not exactly well-known. We’re pretty covert. Even other government agencies don’t know about us. People are still pretty divided about whether or not we should be helping the aliens or hunting them. Alex couldn’t even tell Maggie where she worked until she got assigned the same case as us and had to find out. It really is nothing personal,” Winn told her, putting a hand on her shoulder. Lena wrinkled her nose and inhaled deeply, trying to put aside her assumptions and frustrations.

“They’re ready to begin. Agent Schott, Miss Luthor, are you ready?” Director J'onzz asked, raising an eyebrow. The way he said it made Lena feel a bit like a bratty child being asked if she was done with her tantrum.

“Yes sir,” she murmured, crossing her arms and narrowing her eyes, taking a step towards the screens set up for observation. She tried to appear like she was focusing on the mechanics of her mask in action, but the moment Kara was in view on the screen, Lena’s mouth went dry.

Kara was standing in the middle of an empty room, but the simulator made it appear as if she was standing in the middle of a city block. The royal blue spandex suit she wore clung to her body, accentuating her muscles. She had thick, angular red stripes above her knees, below her elbows and thinner red lines outlining her abs and crossing her arms and legs. Her shoulders were protected by thick red pads to prevent injury and she wore knee-high red boots. Everything had a slight gold trim on it and the House of El crest was large and stretched across her chest. She had a thin gold belt that hung around her waist and held up red and gold loincloth that dangled between her legs. Her hair fell in her loose, natural curls and with Lena’s mask changing her facial structure, she looked less like a preschool teacher and more like a warrior.

_ Fuck, my girlfriend’s hot, _ Lena thought to herself.

“Damn right she is,” Winn chuckled. Lena blushed scarlet when she realized she had spoken out loud.

“Focus on the task at hand,” Director J’onzz reminds them tersely. Remembering the man was a Martian with mind-reading abilities, Lena shook her head gently and cleared her throat, trying to clear her mind of all thoughts regarding her and Kara playing damsel in distress and superhero come to save her later that night. She closed her eyes for a moment, picturing the nanobots in her mask. She needs to focus on their components, on their success or failure, on their improvement. Once she was fully switched into work mode, she opened her eyes again and was able to assess Kara’s performance in the simulation in a detached, professional manner.

The simulation Kara was in had her fighting a gang of three human-looking bank robbers with alien technology while also trying to save the innocent bystanders on the street. Lena dissociated from everything else, watching the way the fabric of the suit moved with Kara, the way it refused to tear no matter how many times she was thrown onto the ground or hit with the lasers. The mask never seemed to slip or falter, even when hit directly with a punch, kick, or laser blast. When Kara had finally defeated the villains in the simulation, it dissolved around her and she was breathing heavy, smiling broadly as she pulled off the mask and let it hang from the utility belt on her suit, Lena’s compromise to make it more accessible. Alex ran into the room and Lena finally snapped herself out of it, realizing it had been almost an hour since the simulation had started.

“Good job, Miss Danvers,” Director J’onzz praised.

“Have you still not picked a name yet?” Lena asked when Kara finally came out to where they all stood, drinking some type of electrolyte drink from a sports bottle with one arm around Alex.

“I was more focused on training,” Kara grinned, immediately transferring from Alex’s hold to Lena’s. She turns to look at Director J’onzz, eyebrows raised. “So? Am I ready yet?”

“You’ll still need to train with me weekly, at least. And you need to wear an earpiece when you’re working with us so that you can communicate with headquarters. When we tell you to do something, it’s important you follow orders. We will have visuals you won’t and we have more experience making tactical decisions,” he told her. Kara beamed and giggled, jumping so high she brought Lena a few inches off the ground. Lena grabbed onto Kara’s shoulders nervously even though she was only off the ground for a few seconds.

“Yes! What should I do first? Should I stop a robber? Or maybe I can help with a fire. Lena, what do you think?” Kara asked excitedly. Lena was still clinging to Kara, loving the way she could feel every muscle through Kara’s suit.

“I think she should go stop the plane that’s currently crashing over the water. Flight A117 to Geneva has two of our agents on it and they’re saying mechanical failure is bringing it down over the harbor,” Winn said quickly. Kara’s gaze hardened and she kissed Lena, letting her girlfriend pull away before looking to Director J’onzz for confirmation.

“Go, Danvers,” he ordered. Kara kissed Lena one more time before running through the lobby and taking off as soon as she got near enough the window. It opened just in time and in the blink of an eye, she was gone.

“The mask,” Lena said quickly, hurrying towards the computer hub as all of the agents moved towards it. On one screen, they tracked the plane’s descent on a satellite camera feed. On another, they watched the radar screen tracking it. On still another, they tracked Kara’s flight. As the agents put their headsets on, Lena grabbed the Director’s arm. “She needs to put the mask on if she wants to keep her identity a secret,” she reminded him.

“Hero One, this is headquarters. You need to get your mask on immediately,” one agent said. Kara’s voice came back over some speaker.

“Got it. Sorry, almost forgot!” she said. Lena rolled her eyes and clenched her fists nervously, crossing her arms over her chest as she watched. Soon enough, Kara appeared on the camera, flying towards the plane. One of the jet engines was already on fire and the other caught fire just as Kara went to grab the plane by the wing. The engine fell off, hurtling towards Kara and she crossed her arms in front of her face to block the debris; it exploded and rained down over the water as Kara sped up in an attempt to grab the wing again. 

“Kara, don’t grab the wing!” Alex shouted. “Get underneath it. Try to level it out.” Immediately, Kara obeyed and was upside down under the plane’s belly, pushing it up. But clearly, the pilots were trying to pull a Sully and land on the water, but the bridge was in the way.

“Oh come  _ on _ ,” Kara groaned over the speaker as they quickly approached the suspension bridge right in the center. 

“Sideways,” Lena said. “She needs to get it at an angle under the A-frame.” Director J’onzz handed Lena a headset and she relayed the information again. “Kara, love, tilt sideways. About 74 degrees and you should be able to pass through the A-frame.” Kara grunts and digs her hands into the metal underbelly of the plane, but they watch as the plane tilts. It’s not perfect. She scrapes the bridge and sparks fall onto the bridge below. Lena winces, knowing there will likely be structural damage to the bridge. The plane lands roughly on the water, skidding sideways and splashing water. “C’mon, c’mon, c’mon, c’mon,” Lena muttered, bouncing on the balls of her feet. After a moment, Kara appears on the wing of the plane, coughing. Her hair looks darker, likely stained by the soot from the engine fire. A light from a helicopter shines down on her and she nods towards the plane; Lena figured she was seeing the people taking pictures and videos.

“Kara, the plane is still sinking. Help evacuate the passengers,” Alex told her. Kara nodded, jumping into action. She flew around, opening the emergency doors and helping passengers onto the lifeboats, pushing them towards the Coast Guard boats coming to retrieve them. Once it had been confirmed that everyone made it off with only minor injuries, the lobby burst into applause.

“Good job, kid,” Alex breathed. Lena was nodding quickly, trying to control her quickened breathing and blinking rapidly to try and clear the tears.

“Okay, okay, okay,” Lena murmured. But God, why wouldn’t her heart stop racing? And was it just her or was the room getting darker?

“Hey, Luthor, you okay?” someone asked. It sounded like they were far away but after a moment, Lena realized it was Alex speaking.

“Okay,” Lena exhaled once before everything went dark.

 

Lena woke only a few moments later. 

She opened her eyes and found herself on the ground, head on something soft like a blanket folded to make a pillow. She was sweating and Alex Danvers was kneeling down, looking at her with a critical eye. Lena blushed deeply, realizing she must have passed out and tried to sit up. Immediately, Alex had a hand on her chest, keeping her down.

“Don’t be stupid, Luthor. Stay down. Kara’s on her way,” Alex ordered, rolling her eyes when Lena again tried to sit up. Before she could reprimand the younger woman, Kara had flown into the lobby and landed at her side, cradling Lena’s head.

“It was just… just a little adrenaline crash,” Lena assured them, still struggling to sit up but now she had both Danvers women holding her in place. When it became clear Lena wouldn’t stop trying to stand up, Kara scooped her up and carried her bridal style.

“Alex is still going to check you out,” Kara declared instantly, carrying her towards the med bay. 

“And you,” Lena insisted weakly. “You just caught a  _ plane _ .”

“I’m fine. You’re the one who-”

“You’ll both be getting checked. Immediately,” Director J’onzz ordered, following them. Lena just sighed, pouting and letting herself be carried, trying not to lean into Kara’s chest, despite how comfortable she is. Lena stubbornly demands that Kara sit across from her and Alex gives Kara her checkup while another medic checks Lena’s vitals, declaring she was fine and it had indeed been just an adrenaline crash. Lena smirked triumphantly at Kara until Alex declared her perfectly fit and Lena was able to hold her tight.

“That was terrifying to watch,” Lena whispered honestly, clutching at Kara’s suit as tightly as she could. She buried her head in Kara’s shoulder, unabashedly trying to commit her girlfriend’s scent to memory.

“Terrifying is hearing over my comm link that you’re unconscious. I think I broke the sound barrier on my way back here, Lee,” Kara countered. 

“Nah, you didn’t accelerate quick enough. Came pretty close though. With some practice and some training, we can get you faster,” Alex smirked, coming over to put a hand on Kara’s shoulder. Lena started to back away so Alex can hug her sister again, but Alex surprised her by pulling Lena into a fierce hug. “And  _ you _ , kid, don’t you dare scare me like that again. If you start to feel faint you  _ tell someone _ . It’s only because J’onn can move so quickly that you didn’t slam your head against the ground! You have to be careful, Lena.” Alex held her tight while admonishing her. Lena couldn’t help but feel so  _ loved _ .

“Danvers, Luthor, I’m glad you’re both alright. Normally, we’d request that Kara stays for debriefing and Ms. Luthor would complete a separate debrief with Agent Schott regarding the performance of the suit and mask. However, circumstances call for an evening off. Go home, relieve the babysitter, take it easy. Kara, we’ll need you first thing tomorrow morning. Ms. Luthor, have that report on my desk within three days,” J’onn said brusquely. Alex stood up straight, still keeping a protective hand on Lena’s shoulder. Kara stood on her other side and snakes her arm around Lena’s waist.

“Yes sir,” Lena confirmed quietly, not quite looking him in the eye. She wasn’t scared of him, quite the opposite in fact. His voice was deep and calming, soothing her and letting her feel like everything would be alright. It reminded her of the way Lionel used to talk to her when she was first adopted. Lena isn’t sure how to feel about this comparison.

“Of course. Y’know, you could say ‘good job’,” Kara adds cheekily, clearly still riding the high of saving that plane. She smelled like jet fuel and was covered in soot, turning her hair a dark black-ish color, her muscles burned and ached in a way she hadn’t felt since she was a kid on Krypton, and she was so hungry she felt like her stomach is dissolving, but Kara beamed proudly, barely able to restrain from bouncing on her toes like an excited kid.

“We’ll see about that during the debriefing,” he chuckled.

“C’mon, babe. Let’s get home,” Lena said softly, pulling Kara back into the hall, pausing when she realized she had no idea how to get back to the lobby. 

“Could I fly you home?” Kara asked, leading Lena through the halls, bounding and bouncing with every step.

“You’ll get soot all over me! And we’ll probably get caught by a few camera phones.  _ And _ my car is in the parking garage. So… I think you can fly yourself home and start on your shower. Find a good hiding spot for that suit. And  _ I _ will go to get Lydia in my car, got it?”

“Okay, but I need to eat something  _ very _ soon,” Kara warned her as they meandered back to the lobby.

“I’ll stop and pick up some food on the way home. Actually, hang on… And  _ there _ we go. See, don’t you just love modern technology? Our easy order has just been placed at the pizza place and I prepaid. It’ll be there soon and all you have to do is open the door. Meanwhile, I will also pick up something else to supplement that and so that Lydia and I can get something too, hmm?” Lena teased after texting in their order on her pizza app. Kara grinned. “Now, up up and away, Super Babe. If you want to be able to go to the door and eat your pizzas, you’ll need to get in the shower.”

“Super Babe?” Kara grinned.

“You never did pick a name,” Lena pointed out with raised eyebrows.

“I’ll consider it. But for now… up, up and away. See you in a little bit. Love you,” Kara whispered, kissing Lena softly, holding her tight before she pulled away, taking a few steps before doing a running takeoff, flying off into the sunset.

“That is so…  _ hot _ ,” Lena murmured, hoping that Kara could hear her. Chuckling to herself as she imagined Kara blushing as she flew through the air, Lena made her way down to the parking garage to go pick up their daughter.

 

“Oh, come on!  _ You _ try carrying a plane! It’s not gonna be perfect! The people are alive, doesn’t that count for anything?” Kara groaned. She was freshly showered and the suit was in Lena’s washing machine while the mask was sitting in a lockbox underneath Kara and Lena’s bed; the suit would join it as soon as it was dry and clean. She was sitting in sweatpants and Lena’s faded gray MIT t-shirt. There were two empty pizza boxes in the trash and Kara was halfway through the third and final pizza. Kara was exhausted and still hungry but she figures that carrying that plane had to burn at least 10,000 calories, so she was justified. 

_ “Superhero or super-menace? More after the break,” _ the news anchor continued, ignoring Kara’s rant. Kara knew she shouldn’t be watching news stories about herself; she’s been telling Lena this ever since she was thrust back into the spotlight with her family. But still, it was so tempting to see what people were saying and now she couldn’t tear herself away.

“Kara? We’re home,” Lena called as the door closed. Kara jumped, not having heard them coming up. 

“Mama! On the radio, they said there was a  _ superhero _ who stopped a plane from falling! Isn’t that so cool? D’you think she knows the Blur? Maybe she can help me thank them! And she caught a whole plane with her hands! Isn’t that so cool, Mama? And Mommy got Chinese food on the way home! But she says I can’t have a fortune cookie unless I eat my veg’tables. But that’s okay a’cause Chinese food veggies taste better than regular veggies, I think. Are you hungry? Why are you eating pizza if we’re having Chinese food?” Lydia asked, bounding over to the couch to join Kara.

“Did Lucy give you a whole bag of sugar for a snack or something, kid?” Kara laughed, pulling Lydia onto her lap.

“Nope! But we played lots and lots and she gave me a snack and we were making cookies so I had some chocolate chips! And we were gonna make dinner but then Mommy came, so I’m still hungry,” Lydia rambled. The news came back on with an image of Kara on the wing of the plane and Lydia squealed.

“Lyd, you have to wash your hands before dinner,” Lena called from the kitchen. Kara stood, leading Lydia into the bathroom. She moves to go help Lena set the table when she hears Lydia continue talking to her.

“Mama, did you see her costume? It’s got the Superman ‘S’ on it! Is she like him? That’d be cool, I think,” Lydia says. Kara just chuckles and nods along, responding with ‘uh-huh’, and ‘yeah, so cool’ in all the right places. When they both get into the dining room, Lena has put all of the food (enough for at least six people, and Kara suspects about three orders of potstickers.

“Hey, Lyd, I think this superhero sounds awesome, and maybe she does know something about the Blur. But, it is dinner time right now, and you’ve been away from Mommy and Mama for  _ hours _ . Why don’t you tell us what you did with Lucy today, hmmm?” Lena asked after a while, hoping this wasn’t making Kara uncomfortable. They still hadn’t quite come to an agreement about what to tell Lydia regarding Kara’s second super identity. The distraction works and they manage to get Lydia to bed within the hour since Lucy had given the little girl a bath after they made a mess baking. After she’s asleep and snuggling with her stuffed animals, Kara and Lena return to the living room. Finally sated, Kara leans back into the couch and smiles sleepily at Lena.

“Did you see how happy she was? When she found out there was another superhero here to protect her, she was so happy and so… so  _ safe _ ! Just imagine how much safer she could feel if she knew just how much this new superhero loved her and wanted to keep her safe! She would feel like… so safe if she knew… And she could-” Kara started. Lena interrupted after a moment, coming to sit next to her, knees tucked underneath her and one elbow on the back of the couch as she turned her body to face Kara.

“Kara, love, I know you want to tell her. But I think it’s a really bad idea! She’s a  _ child _ , not even four years old yet! She couldn’t keep a secret if she tried. Not to mention, it puts her in danger. If people want to get to you, they could try to hurt her. And what if she accidentally lets something slip? She’s little, she could be talking or trying to impress the other kids at school or the playground and mention that her Mama is a real superhero! I just… I think she’s too little, right now,” Lena argued softly. Seeing Kara starting to pout, she adds, “but of course, it’s your secret so I can’t stop you. I just… I think it would be best if we wait until she’s older.”

“You’re right. It is my secret, but it’s also your kid. She’s little, you’re right. Maybe… When she’s older, she could handle it. It’s fine. Maybe she could… meet the new hero? At a public event or something so she could feel safer,” Kara sighed, pulling Lena into her lap.

“Sounds good,” Lena sighed happily, nuzzling into Kara’s neck. “Y’know… I really liked watching you save everyone today, even if it did nearly give me a heart attack,” she murmured, lazily kissing a path up Kara’s neck to her ear.

“Y-yeah?” Kara exhaled.

“Yeah. It was really…  _ hot _ . You saved everyone and you… God, I knew you were strong but knowing it and  _ seeing _ it? Totally different.” Lena wound her arms around Kara’s neck, shifting so that she was straddling Kara and kissing her chest and her face, avoiding her lips as Kara began to breathe heavier.

“I heard,” Kara laughed, gripping Lena’s waist. “Why don’t I… take you to the bedroom and show you just how hot my… my strength can be?” Kara proposed. Lena hummed with her lips pressed to Kara’s jawline, pretending to think. She trails her fingers over Kara’s back making her shiver. Suddenly Kara snaps. One hand takes Lena’s hands and holds them together, trapping them between their bodies. The other takes hold of Lena’s chin, firm and unyielding but perfectly gentle, and pulls Lena’s mouth to hers. Kara kisses her confidently, strongly, holding her exactly where she wants her. Lena tries to pull against her but can’t beat Kara’s strength. Finally, Kara pulls away.

“Yeah, let’s do that,” Lena said breathlessly, eyes still closed and nodding quickly. Kara giggles and scoops her up, bridal style and takes her to their bedroom, both giggling all the way.


	2. A Super Interview

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Because it's not a Supergirl coming out without... a Cat Grant interview! Plus some more Luthor-Danvers family fluff!

The next morning, they found themselves in a virtual flood of news stories.

Everyone was writing stories about this new hero who had saved the plane last night. The reporters were all trying to figure out who the hero was, speculating her relation to Superman. Kara first saw the name ‘Supergirl’ on an article written by some guy named Snapper Carr from CatCo; Kara recognized the name from her journalism endeavors. As she clicked through, she found more and more articles using the same moniker when discussing her- discussing  _ her _ ! That thought sent a giddy wave through Kara, but she clapped a hand over her mouth, desperate not to wake Lena.

“I assume you’re reading articles about yourself,” Lena mumbled from beside her. She sat up, rubbing her eyes. Her hair was a knotted mess and she wrinkled her nose when she yawned before smiling sleepily at Kara. “I used to love it; such a thrill, seeing my name in headlines like that.”

“It’s kind of fun, even if it’s not my real name,” Kara admitted. Lena leans over and rests her head on Kara’s shoulder, yawning again. Kara tilts her phone so that Lena can read along with her.

“‘Supergirl’, you like that?” Lena asked. Kara turned her head slightly to find Lena crinkling her nose a bit, brow furrowed and deep in thought. 

“Eh, I guess? I didn’t really have anything else picked out. I mean, I kind wish it was Super _ woman _ or something like that, but Supergirl rolls off the tongue better. But I just… Supergirl makes me sound like I’m a teenager and I’m not. I guess… I’m a little conflicted, I guess?” Kara said softly. Lena shifted, scooting so that she was behind Kara, head resting on her shoulder and arms holding her tight.

“You’re still young. Not quite a girl, but not old. And besides, you are a girl, right? A girl superhero. A woman superhero. A female superhero. That’s something amazing- inspirational even! There’s nothing wrong with being a girl. You’re a girl. And I’m a girl- and the CEO of an international, multibillion-dollar company. So I am… powerful and rich and hot and smart,” Lena said, making her voice sound airy and arrogant. If anyone perceives Super _ girl _ as anything less than excellent, that’s their problem. And besides, you’ll show them all just how amazing you are anyway, right?” Lena cooed this last bit, nuzzling Kara’s ear gently.

“Yeah, you’re right. I don’t care what anyone says. Super _ girl _ is gonna kick ass,” Kara hummed, turning around so she was facing Lena. She kissed her slowly, eyes falling closed; they both smiled into the kiss and had to pull apart.

“That’s my girl,” Lena smirked, a thought suddenly coming to her. She kissed Kara’s nose before pulling back, singing softly. “I got sunshine… on a cloudy day… When it’s cold outside… I’ve got the month of May. I guess you’d say… what can make me feel this way? My girl, my girl,  _ my girl _ , talkin ‘bout my girl, my girl!” Lena giggled, making her voice go abnormally high and suggestively low as the song called for it.

“No, keep singing,” Kara whined when Lena stopped.

Lena just laughed and said, “I don’t even know the next part of the lyrics! I don’t think anyone does!” She chuckled and kissed Karas cheeks before tapping her nose playfully. “Besides, Lydia will probably be getting up soon. I’m going to take her to work with me so that you can be free to go be Supergirl, so I need to start getting us both ready.”

“No, you don’t have to do that! I can take her for some of the day,” Kara argued weakly. She really did want to save some more people; it was exhilarating and exhausting and wonderful.

“I like bringing her to work. And she’s learning to love my new office, I think. I just have to keep bringing her and maybe she’ll stop asking about the old one,” Lena added. Kara nodded.

“If you’re sure…” 

“I’m sure. Go be my hero and I’ll take Lyd to work.” Lena smiled and kissed Kara’s cheek before standing. “We will have to figure out some kind of a schedule though. Especially once you go back to work at Sunny Start- are you going back to work? Anyway, we’ll have to plan but we can figure that out later. Just do me a favor and pack a bag for Lyd with some stuff she can do. You know, puzzles, books, toys, coloring stuff. I’m trying to build a stash in the office but it’s hard to get her to leave any of it there.” Lena chuckled, going into the closet to pick out her outfit for the day.

“You could take her to a store, let her pick out something new to keep at the office. But only buy it if she promises to leave something else there, something she already has,” Kara suggested, rolling out of bed. “And have you considered a camp? Or a daycare thing? Just for the summer until she’s back in school,” Kara added on her way to the bathroom.

“I have, I just… I worry that it’s not… safe. Especially now when I have to worry about my mother’s enemies, my brother’s enemies, my business rivals, people who hate what my business now stands for… I’m just worried about her safety. I guess it’s silly, I just…” Lena sighed, trailing off.

“It’s not silly,” Kara argued, half shouting to be heard from the bathroom. “And I can help you find a good one that’s safe. Even the rich and powerful have to get proper childcare.” She paused and Lena heard the telltale sounds of her brushing her teeth. “Tell you what: I’ll focus on finding childcare and you focus on being a kickass CEO.” She came back into the room, smiling and kissing Lena’s cheek, breath now minty fresh. Lena smiled.

“Will do. Now, I need to go take a shower quickly. Can you wake Lydia and help her pick out her outfit for the day and get some things together? And don’t forget, we have that meeting with the real estate agent this afternoon!” Kara nodded as Lena shut the bathroom door.

 

“Mommy, I’m bored. When can we go to the store?” Lydia whined. They had just gotten settled into the office not long ago. First Lydia had had to visit the employees who had come from Lena’s old company, saying hi to her friends. Then she wanted to go get a chocolate milk from the nice lady with the coffee cart in the lobby. Finally, after saying hi to Jess, they settled into the office only for Lydia to quickly grow tired of her toys.

“Later, sweetheart. I’ve got some work to do. And then I have a meeting, and then we can go after lunch. Got it?” Lena said firmly, continuing to type away. She just had to get through this mountain of paperwork, talk to her new business advisor, and meet with a long-standing board member and she could call herself productive today.

Lydia just whined in response before standing and walking large circles around the office, running a hand over the decor. Lena kept one eye on her daughter, deciding to let her explore. Lydia had complained that the new office was boring and she didn’t like it, despite it being larger with a nicer carpet, fantastic views, and bigger, cozier couch. Kara had surmised that it was the unfamiliarity that made Lydia dislike it, so she hoped that this time to explore it on her own would be good for the younger girl. Eventually, after running her hands over every cabinet and making herself comfortable behind Lena’s desk basking in the sunlight streaming through the glass door that led to the balcony, Lydia settled down with her coloring book and some pencils. Pacified, Lena shifted so she could more easily see Lydia and continued to work quietly until Jess came in to remind her about her upcoming meeting.

“Lyd, baby girl, remember what I said?” Lena whispered, standing and stretching before crouching down to pat Lydia’s back gently.

“Not to interrupt the meeting unless I really,  _ really _ gotta,” Lydia recited. “And that if I’m a good girl, I can pick out  _ two _ things at the store to keep in the office, ‘stead of one.” She wiggled on the floor in excitement.

“Perfect. Such a good girl. Now, when should you interrupt me?” Lena asked, standing back up. She had ten more minutes before the board member was due to arrive.

“In a ‘mergency, if I’m hurt, or if I feel sick.”

“Good girl. And where’s the potty if you’ve gotta go?” Lena quizzed. Lydia pointed mutely to the en suite bathroom. “Right. Now… Are you thirsty? Hungry? I can give you a snack if you need it.” 

“Please!” Lydia called with a grin. Lena stood and went to her bag to find a bag of crackers and a juice box, setting it down beside Lydia along with her water bottle. The phone on Lena’s desk rang.

“Hello?”

“ _ Lena, your 11:00 is here. Are you ready for him?” _ Jess asked. 

“Send him in.” Lena knew that she could make him wait, make him sweat a little bit, show him that she’s in charge here and assert her dominance. But really, she wasn’t in the mood for those kinds of mind games today. She was still standing, facing the door when he entered. “Mr. Meducci, welcome. I hope you don’t mind, my daughter Lydia is in the office today. She’s coloring back here,” Lena said confidently, gesturing to where Lydia waved.

“Mhmm, of course, Ms. Luthor. Are you ready to discuss your plans for the company?” Ronald Meducci was a tall, hulking man with salt and pepper hair and a long, drawn face that seemed to be permanently set in a scowl. His suit was tailored perfectly and he set his briefcase down on the floor, taking a seat. Lena had to admit, she was taken aback by his forwardness; she was used to people talking to Lydia or asking about her or even just smiling at the little girl. Clearly, Ronald was not a fan of children. Lena felt this did not bode well for her meeting.

 

The meeting was not going well.

Ronald Meducci felt that since he had been a board member for almost as long as Lena has been a Luthor, he knew more about the business than she did. Not that he knew a thing about how to run a business or the current engineering marvels or practices. He knew nothing about how the plants, labs, or even offices conducted business. But he knew the political climate. And he knew the causes Lena stood for and how they clashed with what Luthorcorp had stood for just a year ago. After he insinuated for yet another time that Lena ought to leave existing policies regarding research into anti-alien causes, Lena was really starting to lose her patience.

“Listen, Ronald, I don’t know what you’re thinking you’re going to do by coming here, but I will not be bullied into following in my family’s footsteps. I am my own individual, and I am a competent business woman. In fact, I’m more than competent! I’ve been faring quite well! I won’t have you come in here and tell me what you think I’m doing wrong,” she said, her cheeks turning red as she struggled to keep her anger in check. Lydia whined from her spot on the floor, standing up and tugging on Lena’s sleeve, wordlessly climbing into Lena’s lap, facing her mother and holding her.

“You would do well to take some tips from people who have been in this world longer than you have. It’s a whole different game from that little establishment you had going. And maybe  _ this _ -” he sneered, gesturing to Lydia and her things in the corner “- this little ‘bring your kid to work day’ thing you’re doing? It won’t go over as well here.” Lena flushed bright pink in her cheeks but refused to yell because Lydia was on her lap; in the back of her mind, she wondered if that was exactly why Lydia crawled onto her lap in that moment.

“I truly hope you’re not trying to say that my being a  _ mother _ is going to make me a bad CEO. If anything, it’s taught me more about running a business and dealing with employees than any of my classes in college. And while I’m sure there are board members who could help me learn more about the business decisions of this corporation and help me learn how to navigate this world, I’m not sure if I’d be asking  _ you _ for that help. Perhaps we could try this meeting again on a day when my daughter doesn’t have to hear your xenophobic, poisonous vitriol. I’ll have Jess call to reschedule.” Lena’s voice was firm, her anger barely contained. As she spoke, Ronald’s face grew redder and redder and there was a large vein in his forehead that started to make itself more prominent. He opened and closed his mouth wordlessly a few times before settling on glaring at her. Realizing he doesn’t seem to get the hint, she added, “I’d shake your hand, but clearly, my hands are full.” She gestured to Lydia still on her lap, resting her chin on Lena’s shoulders. With that, he huffed and stood, turning to leave. 

Before he even left the office, Lena is emailing Jess:  _ I want to buy his share. I don’t want him on the board anymore.  _ Within moments, Jess responds,  _ Got it covered. _

 

“Mommy, I didn’t like the man who came to your office,” Lydia said softly as they moved from behind Lena’s desk to the couch. Lydia still clung to her mother’s shoulders, legs wrapped around her waist to keep her close.

“I didn’t like him much either, baby girl,” Lena said, kissing her forehead.

“‘M not a baby, Mommy,” Lydia grumbled.

“I know, but you’ll always be my baby,” Lena hummed. 

“Why was he so mean?” Lydia said, trying not to whine.

“Some people… don’t like me. They don’t like what I believe in, like the fact that people from different planets are people, too. Or they don’t like that I’ve taken over this big company or that I’m a mom. Some people just don’t like it and don’t know how to act so they act out. But that doesn’t make it right.” Lena tried to explain it in a way her daughter could understand, but in truth, Lena really  _ didn’t know _ why people had to be so mean. 

“Like the guy with the gun? He didn’t like you ‘cause of your family, right, Mommy? Or because you were a Mommy.” Lena tried not to sigh. She wished there was a way to just erase that moment from Lydia’s memory, to keep her from remembering that terrible day.

“Sort of… but different. Ronald didn’t like me because he thinks he’s better than me, better than other people. The man who shot at us… He didn’t like me because he thinks other people aren’t people and if they’re not the kind of people he likes, he doesn’t want them around. It’s a little different, baby. Plus, I don’t think Ronald is the kind of guy to hurt people like that,” Lena said, attempting to joke but it falls flat. Lydia just nods seriously. They sit in silence, Lena idly running her hands through her daughter’s hair until Lydia’s stomach growled.

“Can we go get lunch now?” Lydia asked, pulling away. Lena just chuckled.

“Yes, sweetheart. And maybe while we eat, you can help me make a list of some things we want to look for in our new home, right?” Lena knew they weren’t ready to move yet and had discussed it with Lydia’s therapist in her weekly sessions. But she had also contacted a real estate agent that tends to the needs of the prestigious and wealthy; it might take awhile to get the entire process over with especially considering all of the things Lena needed in terms of security and safety so she wanted to start sooner rather than later.

“Yeah!”  Lydia squirmed out of her mom’s arms and ran back to her corner to grab her things. “And then we can go shopping?” Lena smiled, packing up some of her things so she could get some things done during lunch- mostly just her tablet and a stack of legal files that just needed her signature in the marked spots.

“Yes, and since you were so good all morning and during my meeting, even when Ronald wasn’t being particularly nice, you may pick out two things to keep here, as long as you also promise to leave two of your toys or books or things in the office. Then you’ll have  _ four toys _ to play with whenever you come to the office.” Lydia nodded and looked over her bag of toys and books and coloring supplies with a critical eye as if trying to decide what she’s going to leave. Lena holds out a hand and the two Luthor girls smile at Jess, inviting her to lunch with them (she politely declined) before making their way down to the L-Corp dining room.

 

Meanwhile across town, Kara was panicking.

“I don’t have to do it, do I?” she asked, pacing around the office. Winn had come to her not long ago with the news: Cat Grant was demanding an exclusive with this new superhero. Alex and J’onn were trying to talk her down from the metaphorical ledge while Winn just kind of stayed hidden at his desk; he always did that when people started yelling or getting agitated. “I mean, what’s the worst that could happen? I just… say no. And then… she has people start following me. I accidentally lead them here, or worse, to you and Maggie and Jamie or to Lena and Lydia… I put everyone in danger. Okay, so I have to do it. It’s just an interview, right?” Kara was posing these as questions but answering them herself.

Apparently, Winn was friends with Jimmy Olsen, the famous photojournalist who worked at CatCo. Winn had worked there briefly but found the work environment much too hostile (he explained that Cat Grant’s constant anger and yelling reminded him too much of some old foster homes and it was just too triggering for him) so he left. But he kept in touch with Jimmy, who knew he had started working at some black ops government agency. Jimmy had reached out when Cat made her demand of the office, hoping that Winn’s coworkers might know the right people to get the job done. Winn had passed the information on to Alex and J’onn, who told Kara, prompting her panicked tirade.

“Kara, Kara, relax.  _ Kara _ ,” Alex said. Finally, she stepped in Kara’s path and put her hands on Kara’s shoulders, forcing her sister to stop walking, stop talking and  _ look at her _ . “You do not have to do this if you don’t want to. We can find a way to deal with Cat Grant.”

“No, I… I do want to make a statement. Talk to people about… who I am and what I stand for… I want to make my voice heard, and I don’t want people to spread lies because I’m not saying anything so why not make up a story, right? I just… I want the truth out there. I just wasn’t… I didn’t think it would happen so soon is all,” she said softly.

“Who says it has to be soon?” Alex argued. “You could do it in a week when you’re ready.”

“Uh, actually, James said that Cat only gave him 24 hours or he gets fired and it’s already been… thirteen and a half hours,” Winn added timidly, checking his watch.

“Damn it,” Alex groaned, pinching the bridge of her nose. She knew now that Kara thought his job was on the line, she would feel obligated to do the interview as soon as she could; Kara would feel too guilty if she didn’t.

“Tell Mr. Olsen that Supergirl can do the interview, but later tonight. She will contact Ms. Grant by nine,” J’onn decided. “We can spend some time prepping on what not to say later this evening. For now, Supergirl, go do your job. There’s an attempted armed robbery going down at the National City First Bank downtown on Thames Street and they might need your help. See what you can do. Danvers, go train the rookies. Schott, send the message to Mr. Olson then get back on your computers to give Supergirl some assistance.” When no one moved for a moment, he barked, “Now!” Immediately, Kara took off out the big glass windows and Alex walked off towards the sparring rooms to train the newbies in hand-to-hand combat. Winn texted furiously under his desk before putting on his headset and focusing his cameras. J’onn just rolled his eyes and went back to work, mentally planning how to coach Kara for this interview.

 

“So, I can do a quick dinner with you guys out somewhere, but I have to be back here by seven so they can remind me not to say anything stupid before this interview. Or you guys could just have dinner without me and I’ll be home later?” Kara whispered. After helping talk down the robbers with an NCPD hostage negotiator, Kara had stopped a factory fire, rescued a cat from a tree and stopped a purse snatcher before going back to the DEO to rest and have a snack (to most other people, it would seem like a large meal, but to Kara’s Kryptonian stomach it was a light snack). She was calling Lena from the DEO break room, lounging on the couch, still in her super suit with the mask on.

_ “We could do dinner together with you. Lydia and I just ate in the L-Corp dining room for lunch today, so we could use something a little different. Maybe that diner you like on Hope Boulevard?” _ Lena suggested.

“The one with the bottomless cheese fries?” Kara squealed, though she knew it was. “Oh, I love you, I love you, I love you!” 

_ “I love you too, dear. Oh, yes, dear. And Lydia says she loves you too, just so you know. She’s been a very good girl today and she was just watching some TV on Mommy’s iPad.” _ Kara could hear Lydia giggling and whispering in the background of the phone call. 

“I love her too, to the moon and back,” Kara said sincerely. “And I can meet you guys there for around 5:30 if that works?”

_ “That sounds perfect. We’ll see you then. And you should know, Lydia and I have been making some checklists for what we want and need from our new home. I hope you can add some things to it so that I can give it to the realtor before the close of business tomorrow. Oh, she wants me to put it on speakerphone, is that alright?” _ Kara can hear the unspoken question:  _ are you alone? Are you safe to talk freely? _

“Of course!” Kara said. She waited, hearing the sounds and the volume and pitch of the call change. Suddenly, Lydia was no longer background noise but just as loud as Lena. “Hi, my sweet girl! I’ll see you in a little while for dinner!”

_ “Mama! You’ve been gone  _ forever _! Dinner is so far away! I gots lots to tell you about what we did today and the mean man Mommy yelled at,” _ Lydia said, just a tad too loud for Kara; Kara heard Lena shushing her gently. Volume considerably lowered, she continued, “ _ And we talked about the new house and what we want and I want a swing set and a big bed and a slide. Plus, I should get a bunk bed so I can sleep way up high! Right, Mama? Like the superheroes!” _ Kara laughed loudly.

“Yeah, baby girl. We’ll see what the realtor can do. But we might not get everything we want, right?”

_ “We get what we get and we don’t get upset,” _ Lydia recited.

“Good girl,” Kara praised. Suddenly, Kara heard Lena’s office door open and Jess spoke.

“ _ Lena, your video call with the Smallville plant is in ten minutes. If you want, I could take Lydia outside for a while. We could go for a walk around the office, visit some of our old friends from the other office, maybe just play at my desk? I’m due for my lunch break anyway.” _

“Hi, Jess!” Kara said, hoping she was loud enough that Jess heard. Regardless, she knew Lena would relay the message.

_ “Jess, Kara says hi. Give me just one minute? Thank you. Alright, Lyd, say see you later to Mama. We’ve gotta get going,”  _ Lena replied.

_ “Bye, Mama! See you at dinner time. Love you lots!” _ Lydia giggled.

“Bye Lyd, bye Lena. Love you both a bushel and a peck. See you at dinner.” Kara grinned before hanging up. She glanced at the clock. She had time for a quick power nap before she had to go back out and patrol, barring any emergencies. Closing her eyes, she laid back down on the break room couch and tried to rest up; she would need to be on her toes for this interview later.

 

“So, Mommy yelled at him and told him he wasn’t allowed to come back ‘til he was nicer. She used lotsa big words, but Mommy told me what she meant after he left,” Lydia explained. After meeting at the diner, they had ordered drinks and Kara’s appetizers before Lydia launched into her diatribe on what she had done at the office today. “And then we had lunch in Mommy’s restaurant and we went to the store, and I got  _ two _ things! I got a new baby doll and a crib for her, but Mommy said I had to leave two things from home at her office, so I’m leavin’ a coloring book and my LeapPad! With some books and some math stuff and some… stuff like that! And I told Mommy I want a house, not a ‘partment. A house has a yard, and more space and two floors, and maybe a pool! Mommy said she’s gotta talk to you ‘bout some more stuff before we decide. But when the house lady finds us a new house, she says I get to help pick it out!” Lydia was bouncing in her seat, just a little too short for the table, but too big for the baby chairs this diner had. 

“Wow, that… Sounds like you had fun today!” Kara said, swallowing thickly. She wished she had been there when they talked about the new house; she couldn’t help but feel a little left out, even though she had fun while she was saving people. 

“And I visited Jess! And Eddie and Lucas and Emily and Jake and Sam, too! I didn’t get to stay long ‘cuz they were busy, but Jess let me sit in her chair and spin around and around and I sat on her lap while she did work and stuff! I love Jess, she’s so nice,” she rambled, sitting up on her knees to sip at her milk. Lena takes advantage of her momentary pause.

“So, I have this list here of things that we need in our new place and some things that we’d like. Green are the things I’d like, pink are things Lydia would like and I was thinking blue could be the things you’d like,” Lena offered, looking at Kara sweetly and handing her the pen to Lena’s tablet. 

Kara glanced over the list. Lena’s ‘must-haves’ included things like privacy, safety, and space. Lydia just needed a room for herself (which Kara felt was obvious). Under the things they wanted, Lena put a large bathtub, two floors, a fireplace, a big kitchen with lots of counter space, a king-sized bed and other luxuries like that. In addition to her swingset, slide, and bunk bed, Lydia also wanted a fireman’s pole from her bedroom to the kitchen, a big playroom, and a spot with lots of space ‘for movies and cuddles from Mama and Mommy’. Kara smiled at that, almost wanting to move it from the ‘wants’ to the ‘needs’.

“Can I add to it after dinner? I just want to focus on my girls right now,” Kara said, leaning over the table to ruffle Lydia’s hair. Lydia giggled and squirmed into her Mommy’s lap, finding it much easier to reach the table now.

“Of course,” Lena smiled, kissing the top of Lydia’s head before turning back to Kara. If she only had an hour and a half before Kara needed to go back to work, she intended to make use of every moment of it.

 

“I know! God, it feels like we’ve gone over it twenty times. Don’t reveal my first name. Don’t mention my ties to Kal-El. Don’t mention the DEO. Don’t mention Lydia, Lena, Alex, Maggie, or Jamie. Basically, I just need to use my common sense. I get it!” Kara groaned. She had been sitting in J’onn’s office for the past hour, listening to him and practicing an interview.

“Kara, Cat Grant is the top media mogul in the business for a  _ reason _ . She’s good at interviewing people. We just want to make sure you understand what you’re up against!” Alex argued. She was refusing to go home until she knew Kara had safely finished her interview.

“I know, I know,” Kara said petulantly, crossing her arms over her chest and trying not to pout.

“Okay, do you want to review your statement?” J’onn said, breaking the tension between the sisters. Kara shrugged. “Supergirl, what do you know about the Blur?”

“I’m the Blur. I didn’t come out because I wanted to make sure I was strong. I wanted to be the best I could be for this city because they deserve the best protection,” Kara recited in a bored tone.

“Supergirl, where are you from?”

“A planet far away called Krypton. The family sent me here to escape destruction, blah, blah. I came here with one mission: to protect. And that’s what I want to do. I’m here to help the people who need it and protect the ones who can’t protect themselves. Blah, blah, hero stuff. I’m  _ bored _ ,” Kara whined. “When does she even leave her office?” They had decided Kara would interrupt Cat on the way home to start the interview, but it was taking the woman a while to leave.

“Just got word from James! She’s on her way out,” Winn called from his spot in the corner; he had been so silent that Kara barely even remembered he was there.

“That’s your cue. Supergirl, make us proud. We’ll be listening on the comms,” J’onn said with a dismissive wave. “Don’t forget the mask!” He yelled after her. She paused a moment to put it on before taking a running leap and flying out of the DEO and towards the CatCo building.

 

Kara waited until she and her driver were both in the car, seat belts buckled before lifting the car up, holding it by the front end. She nodded to the driver when Cat admonished him to keep his eyes on the road, preventing him from panicking and he just grinned wildly, waving at her. Kara smiled back but kept both hands on the vehicle, shifting her grip so that it was more sturdy, trying not to listen to Miss Grant's phone conversation.

_ “Actually, Miss Grant, your interview with Supergirl has already started,” _ a deep male voice said over the phone. Kara figured it was James Olsen, who Cat Grant had just threatened to fire if this interview wasn’t arranged; Kara was glad she had saved this man’s job. 

“What the hell?” Cat Grant said nervously. They flew silently over National City until Kara could place Cat’s car down gently in a small clearing at the edge of the city. They were facing the city near the edge of a cliff; Kara felt the background imagery was perfectly dramatic but J’onn advised this spot for the privacy of it. When Cat Grant opened her door to come out of the car, keeping the driver inside, Kara stayed floating, keeping her face neutral and trying to look strong and confident.

“Miss Grant, James Olsen said you wanted to talk? Let’s talk,” Kara said, keeping her voice even, hands by her side, one leg straight with the other foot resting on her knee (Clark had often adopted this pose in midair and Kara teased him about it but he was right- it was comfortable!). Cat just stood staring at her, still behind her open car door for a moment before gathering herself and stepping out.

“Oh, it’s you,” she said softly, but of course Kara heard her. Kara stayed floating above Cat’s head in the gleam of the car’s headlights. Cat stepped closer. “Oh, I’m sorry. I mean  _ who are you? _ ” Cat’s voice dripped with sarcasm and fake-wonder. 

“According to you, I’m  _ Supergirl _ ,” Kara sneered slightly.

“Trademark pending,” Cat noted. Kara resisted the urge to roll her eyes.

“You have questions,” she said, bringing this interview back to its intended purpose. “I’m here to answer them.” Cat quirks an eyebrow and makes a small disgruntled sound.

“Do you mind if I record this?” She holds out her phone, already opening it to an app to record this.

“I suppose not,” Kara huffed, looking away for a moment. She should have been prepared for this possibility; she knew from Clark and Lois that reporters liked to record their interviews so they could pull quotes for the article later. But still, she worried; what if her voice was too recognizable?

“Okay,” Cat said, faking enthusiasm. “ _ Supergirl _ , let’s start with the obvious. Where are you from?” Kara straightened. She had prepared for this question.

“I traveled to Earth from my home planet of-”

“Krypton,” Cat sighed, looking bored. Kara tried not to grit her teeth.

“Yes. It was destroyed. My parents sent me here where they thought I’d be safe.” at sighed again, louder this time. Her phone started to droop and she clearly looked bored.

“I feel like I’ve heard this before,” she muttered, clearly upset about not getting some groundbreaking, juicy story.

“This is  _ my _ story,” Kara asserted. She flew to the other side of Cat Grant, now viewing the media mogul backed against the city sky.

“So, I can assume all of your powers are the same as the Man of Steel’s? The flying, the super strength, the freezy breath thing?” Kara nodded.

“Yes,” she said confidently. Cat tried to think of some quip for that; finding none, she moved on.

“Alright, how about the Blur? Do you know the Blur?” Kara smirked.

“I do. I posed as the hero you called the Red-Blue Blur,” Kara said proudly. Surely  _ this _ was different than Clark’s story.

“So, why the name change? Costume change? Why show your face now? What changed?” Cat asked curiosity peaked.

“This city needed protection. I saw people in danger and I did my best to help. I didn’t want to come out as an official hero until I was sure that I was ready for that honor. I wanted to be the best I could for this city because you deserve the best. Once I accepted this part of myself and my desire to do good, the costume followed. And you were the one who changed my name, not me,” Kara added. 

“Why so late to join the game?” Kara bristled, flying over Kara’s head and to the other side of her again, landing softly on the ground and staring out towards the city, brow furrowed and hands on her hips.

“I’m not sure I understand your question,” she said tersely.

“Well, if you’ve been on this planet for years, where were you? Why are you just giving back now? Where were you during the earthquakes in Taiwan or the forest fires that destroyed thousands of acres and ruined countless lives?” Kara tensed, remembering the news. God, it had hurt her to watch the news broadcasts, knowing she could help but having no way to do so. “Where were you?”

“This is  _ not _ a job I take lightly. I had to be ready.” Kara was getting uncomfortable. Maybe she should have prepared more. Cat Grant seemed to sense this, pausing before abruptly switching directions.

“You mentioned coming out. Are you familiar with the other ‘coming out’ process? Are you a member of the LGBT community?” Kara wondered how Miss Grant would work  _ this _ line of questioning into her interview.

“I was raised on Krypton before coming here. Krypton viewed sexuality differently, so my answer is neither here nor there on Earth’s scale of sexuality. But I don’t see how this is relevant to this interview,” Kara said, narrowing her eyes.

“Fine, fine. You’re new to this hero business. Are you sure you’re ready? Are you as strong as Superman?”

“I am. We have the same powers. He and I are equals,” Kara said stiffly. Cat paused, eyeing Kara.

“Do you have a family? Partners? Children?” Kara stiffened, picturing Lena and Lydia, afraid for them. Then she got angry, thinking about how the media treated Clark in interviews; he certainly never got questions about settling down. How sexist!

“No one asks my cousin these questions,” Kara snapped. As soon as Cat’s eyes widened, Kara realized what she had said.

“Superman is your cousin?” Now Cat really looked intrigued, tilting her head, eyes widening, blonde curls shifting and bouncing.

“This interview is over,” Kara said, taking off. She would still hear Cat Grant calling after her.

“Well, what do you do all day when you’re not flying around town? Do you have a day job?” Kara ignored her, trying to ignore the pit in her stomach as she imagined what Alex and J’onn would say.

 

“It was just a mistake! A slip of the tongue,” Kara had said defensively. She was sitting in Alex’s office, feeling very much like a scolded child while Alex and J’onn ‘debriefed’ her (this mostly consisted of chastising her for her slip-up).

“We decided we would keep your relation to Superman a secret,” Alex said, pacing behind her desk. J’onn sat in her desk chair, hands folded in front of him and he seemed to be listening more than anything else.

“She was just making me  _ so mad _ . She was asking such sexist questions and I really didn’t think someone like Cat Grant would do that! She made it sound like he was better because he came first or he was stronger because he was a guy. But just because our origins may be similar doesn’t mean we’re anything alike! And she was treating us differently, but not in a good way. Different in like a… a less than way. Like I was less than him because he came first and I was copying even though  _ I’m _ older than him,” Kara rambled frustratedly.

“She’s a reporter! She wanted to get a rise out of you in hopes of getting more information and  _ clearly _ it worked,” Alex scoffed. “I knew we shouldn’t have done this. You weren’t ready for this.”

“Am too,” Kara muttered petulantly, crossing her arms over her chest. Now she  _ really _ felt like a kid arguing with Alex like this.

“Are not,” Alex fired back immediately.

“Agent Danvers,” J’onn said sternly. “Supergirl.” Both women stilled, deflating and waiting for him to continue. “There is no way we could have completely prepared Supergirl for this interview. As you said, Agent Danvers, it’s Miss Grant’s job to do whatever it takes to get the information. All in all, I don’t think the interview went too poorly. In terms of information to let slip, that one tidbit is rather innocuous. She didn’t give up anyone’s secret identity, the DEO, her family or yours. While I would prefer Cat Grant not have that information to publish, there’s nothing we can do now. Go home, both of you. There’s nothing left to do tonight and I know you both have family waiting for you. You’re dismissed.” Everyone pauses for a moment, realizing this is Alex’s office. “Er, right. I’ll just be off. But you’re still dismissed for the day,” J’onn said, standing and nodding meaningfully at them. When he leaves, Kara and Alex stare at each other for a moment before Alex pulls her into a tight hug.

“You know I’m not really mad, right? Annoyed, yes. But not mad. Just… scared,” Alex whispered, knowing Kara could hear her.

“Scared of what? An interview?” Kara teased, still hugging Alex until her big sister pulls away.

“Terrified! Because I can’t protect you from this, Kar. I can’t… She’s gonna publish what she’s gonna publish and I can’t protect you if something goes wrong,” Alex said, looking at Kara seriously. Kara wondered if maybe she wasn’t just talking about the interview anymore.

“You don’t always need to protect me, Lex,” Kara whispered softly; she was the  _ only person _ in the world who could get away with calling Alex Danvers ‘Lex’ and only in certain situations. Clearly, this situation warranted it since Alex didn’t protest. “I’m a big girl. I’m not the same kid who’s scared of the popcorn maker anymore.”

“That doesn’t mean I’m going to stop trying to protect you.” Alex looked away then, fiddling with her hands for a moment before hiding them behind her back.

“Yeah, well, I’m going to protect you now, too,” Kara grinned, punching Alex’s shoulder lightly. “I’m a superhero now.” She grinned as she said this, eyes alight. Alex rolled her eyes but softened for a moment.

“Supersuit or no, you’ve always been super, kid.” Her voice was tender, her smile small.

“Awww,” Kara cooed, giggling slightly as she hugged her sister. “You love me,” she sang teasingly. Alex, blushing and attempting to wriggle out of Kara’s grasp, just rolled her eyes.

“Shut up, of course I do,” she muttered. Glancing at her watch, she added, “but you should get home soon if you want to see Lydia before she goes to bed.” Kara nodded, pulling Alex into a proper hug.

“Bye, see you tomorrow!” Kara said before heading out. She flew carefully through the night, keeping one ear tuned to the city for signs of trouble. Kara landed a few blocks away from home, quickly walking the rest of the way. She checked her watch, seeing it was well past Lydia’s bedtime, before entering quietly. What she found surprised her. 

Lydia was sound asleep in the living room on the couch, body turned to the door. She was bathed and dressed in Superman pajamas (or maybe now they were Super _ girl _ pajamas? Kara didn’t really know) with her hair in two braids, Chewie under her arm. Lena was also asleep in the armchair, hair also wet and braided; Kara knew Lena liked the way it made her hair wavy in the morning. But she was more surprised to see Lena in a faded white t-shirt bearing the House of El symbol and emblazoned with the words “#1 Fan”. Kara beamed, loving how her entire family was now wearing her family crest (though hers was hidden underneath her clothes). Kara went into their bedroom to change, only to find a brand new pair of pajamas pants with the crest all over them and a white sleep shirt on the bed clearly meant for her. 

“God, I’m in love with a dork,” Kara chuckled softly, rolling her eyes. But she truly did love Lena, and she loved how Lena made it so that they all wore the crest, remembering how Kara had mentioned the significance of a family crest on Krypton. Kara had been complaining about how commercialized it had become ever since Clark had started using it on his suit, and Kara used to hate how he had cheapened it from being a symbol of their family’s strength. Kara wanted to reclaim the symbol, and Lena wanted to help her by having their entire family wear it together. She hurried off, taking a quick shower and putting her hair in two sloppy braids before changing into the pajamas, loving their soft texture. 

She moved Lena into their bed first, cradling her carefully and putting her on her side of the bed. Then she moved Lydia, watching as her little girl curled into her mother. Kara joined them, crawling onto the bed and letting one leg fall across them, linking them all. She stretched to get a picture that showed all of them wearing their pajamas but finally managed. Lydia and Lena were still sleeping peacefully and Kara was grinning at the camera. Sending it to Alex and Maggie with a heart emoji, Kara plugged her phone in to charge before closing her eyes and finally let herself rest.

For the first time since putting on her suit, she finally felt  _ super _ .

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, yes, cheesy ending, I know. But it was fluffy and cute and I needed to do it for my own mental health, okay? Good. Now, as I'm sure some of you know, I am a needy individual. I thrive on comments. What do you think of Lydia? of Lena? of the cheesy ending? Of the interview? Where do you see this going? Any predictions? Any scenarios you'd like to see? Drop a comment! Feed my soul (and my fragile ego)!

**Author's Note:**

> So, just for reference, I based Kara's suit on the Alt. Fighting Suit as drawn and designed by tumblr user @plastic-pipes (link below!) This user has a DeviantArt and a Twitter and an Instagram all linked to their tumblr, so definitely go check them out!! As always, thanks for reading and keep an eye out for chapter two!! 
> 
> Link to the picture:  
> https://plastic-pipes.tumblr.com/post/161219542973/yall-liked-the-armor-concept-so-i-tried-to-clean


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